


Reaching The Kick

by Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-30
Updated: 2010-11-30
Packaged: 2017-10-13 11:28:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/136860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/pseuds/Eustacia%20Vye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They knew this subject had militarized projections, but their preparation wasn't quite enough.</p><p>For the inception_kink fanart <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/inception_kink/11005.html?thread=23439101#t23439101">prompt.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Reaching The Kick

The subject was a scientist working with the military to develop a neurotoxin that could preferentially bind to the amygdala, blocking out fear. He had been working on this project for years, and might be closing in on a breakthrough. It would be a difficult job to extract the research for the competition, and he would likely be militarized. Arthur presented his own research and convinced Cobb that it would be of relatively limited risk if they got the whole team together. Cobb could be just one more military higher up. Eames could even forge of the researcher's superiors. He was used to giving reports, so this would be relatively easy to do.

Ariadne built a fantastic copy of the subject's lab as well as several side mazes, just in case. Cobb would be the dreamer on this, and the entire team would go under with him. Yusuf planned to watch over them all, ready to adjust the sedative dosing at a moment's notice. Eames and Cobb would interact with the subject directly. Ariadne and Arthur planned to rifle though the dream office for notes he wouldn't necessarily explain in detail but would still be necessary for their employer to do research.

It went according to plan, and all of the notes were replaced when they were found. Ariadne froze, her hand on the doorknob. She heard the subject out in the hallway say to Eames and Cobb "Right this way, Generals. I have the report in full in my office."

"That's not necessary," Cobb said, attempting to get the subject away from his office. "I've seen quite enough."

Ariadne looked at Arthur in alarm. He glanced around the office, noting only the one small window opposite the door. Wordlessly, they rushed for it.

She managed to get the window shut after them as the door opened. The ledge was too small to support them, so she had to alter its width and support structures in order for them to stand on it.

That was more than enough to alert the subject's projections.

"Shit. This is not good," Ariadne intoned, just as the subject complained "Someone was here!"

They edged away from the window as Eames tried to soothe the subject. The projections were all staring at Arthur and Ariadne, tracking their movements along the ledge. "We're going to have to be careful," Arthur told Ariadne. "We still have time before the kick."

"I don't think we're going to make it," Ariadne said, eying the projections all around them.

"We're going to make it," Arthur told her. He held onto her hand tightly, giving her support. "I promise you, we're going to make it."

She gave him a quavery smile, squeezing his hand tightly. "All right. I'm ready."

They moved into the building at another point; they still had to meet up with Cobb and Eames, as their kick was supposed to be a detonation in the lab. Ariadne opened the window to another office and climbed inside. Arthur followed, shutting the window behind him. He had seen the projections outside. Their eyes were dark and angry, teeth bared. Arthur thought he saw one wielding a gun in plain sight. He didn't think Ariadne saw, and didn't want to worry her. She was nervous enough as it was.

Ariadne opened the door to leave the office and was promptly punched in the face by a projection.

As she staggered backward, she had the presence of mind to pull the figure into the room and shut the door. She pressed one hand to her face in shock as she whipped her Beretta out of the concealed holster beneath her jacket. She shot him in the face and he crumpled to the floor. She eyed Arthur with a little trepidation. "Reaching the kick just got that much harder."

"We can make it," he said. He had to believe that. The subject didn't know about them yet. They could possibly still go to the meet point without the risk of violent death. Ariadne was still relative new to the dreaming, and she wasn't so blase about killing herself or being killed. He would spare her that if he could.

Ariadne squared her shoulders. If Arthur thought they could make it to the kick, they could make it to the kick.

There were shouts in the hallway as they exited the office. It seemed to come from the subject himself, and all the projections in the area looked around suspiciously.

Cobb burst out of the office, Eames behind him. There was no sign of the subject.

"Dammit, Cobb," Arthur growled. He seized hold of Ariadne and began to run toward the lab.

Along the way, they had to shoot the projections. They were vicious and practiced, trying their best to hem them all into a corner. The four of them shot their way through; there was no such thing as running out of ammunition in the dream. The subject thought it had been odd that Eames and Cobb hadn't tried to help him identify who had been in his office, and in trying to calm him down, Cobb had actually tipped him off. Eames had to knock him out, and it had triggered the projections into action.

"Your fault!" Eames shouted at Cobb, shooting a projection in the head. "If you'd let me do my goddamn job!"

"We'd still be in this mess," Cobb insisted. "We have what we came here for, anyway. Let's just get to the lab and ride the kick."

Arthur's lips thinned as he shot at the projection in front of him. At least Ariadne was holding her own. He was glad he had insisted that she practice with him. It had also been a great excuse to spend more time with her in between jobs. He hadn't quite gotten up enough nerve to ask her out yet.

"Let's just get out of here," he told Cobb in flat tones.

Ariadne paused to take a deep breath, looking down at the projection she had just shot. She didn't see the projection behind her approach; she only knew she was falling behind and would have to catch up if she didn't want to miss the kick. She let out a startled cry and began to fight off the projection as best as she could. "Arthur," she choked out as the projection's hands closed around her throat.

Arthur heard her and blind rage flooded through him, even if he knew this was only a dream. He didn't want Ariadne in pain _ever,_ but he was too far away. There was no thought in his mind other than getting to her side. He didn't even think about what he was doing. It was the single-minded urge to get to Ariadne that had him moving, anger flowing white hot when he saw her weaken and stop struggling. "Ariadne!" he screamed. "I'm coming!"

The bullet he shot into the projection came too late. Ariadne's limp body fell into Arthur's arms, and she wouldn't wake. The projection had killed her.

Cobb and Eames were far enough ahead that they would get to the lab in time for the kick. For Arthur, it didn't matter.

He pressed his gun to his temple and pulled the trigger.

Arthur woke with a gasp, pain flooding through him. It was a monster of a migraine, but he pushed it aside. He'd live. He could hear Ariadne sobbing, her breath coming in hitching gasps. Yusuf was asking her if she was all right, asking if the others were okay. She couldn't answer. She was sitting in her chair, hand clutching reflexively at her throat, still feeling hands that weren't there. Her breath was ragged and her throat hurt, so that every shallow breath was painful. She saw Arthur's grimace of pain as he yanked the lead from his arm without preamble. He staggered to her side. "Ari," he rasped, reaching for her. "Are you okay?"

She clutched hold of him tightly, sobbing. She couldn't explain why this hurt so much, why she had been so afraid. This wasn't the first time she had gone under, after all. This had been a single layer dream, carefully researched and crafted. Danger had been minimal, really.

If she was honest with herself, it was because for an instant as she died in the dream, she had been afraid it was real and she would never see Arthur again.

Ariadne listened to Arthur's clipped tones as he reported what happened to Yusuf, who nodded and kept watch over the remaining sleepers. She tuned it out, holding onto Arthur tightly and simply feeling his arms wrapped around her. She felt safe like this, and could feel her sobs slow down. "You're going to be okay, Ariadne," he murmured, stroking her hair gently. "It gets better. The pain will go away, and you'll feel better. I promise."

She dug her fingers into his shoulders when he loosened his grip on her, and she buried her face against his chest. "Don't let go," she whispered. "Please? It's just... Give me a minute. I need this right now."

Arthur stroked her hair and tried his best to fold himself around her tiny frame. "As long as you need me to," he promised. He pressed his lips against her temple, giving her a tender kiss. "I'll do whatever I can."

She turned her head slightly and met his lips with hers. It was a soft and gentle brushing of lips, as quick as their kiss in the Fischer job had been. She still felt it jolt through her, and she clung to him tightly. "Thank you."

He smiled fondly at her. "You're very welcome," he said in a soft voice.

Behind them, Yusuf settled the headphones into place over Eames' and Cobb's ears. "Another minute until the kick, you two. If you need a private moment, this spot isn't it."

Arthur chuckled. "Thanks, Yusuf. I think we'll be okay. Right, Ariadne?"

She nodded against his chest. "Yeah. I just... Getting killed like that is still scary. At least with a kick it's over so fast I don't have time to think about it."

Yusuf nodded as he hit play on the music. "True enough. It's why I don't go under anymore if I can help it," he said with a smile. "Field work is dangerous, man. I'll stick with adjusting the compounds. That's a whole different realm of risk."

Ariadne slowly disentangled herself from Arthur's arms, her fingers trailing along his wrist and hand. She was reluctant to let go of him just yet. She couldn't feel fingers around her throat anymore, but the mindless hate in the projection's eyes was still with her. She looked up as Arthur's hand tightened over hers. He was smiling at her, and her stomach seemed to turn over at the sight of it. They ignored the sounds of Cobb and Eames coming awake; they would all have to leave soon enough to meet their employer. "Arthur?"

"I'll call you later tonight. How does that sound?"

She returned his smile. "Yeah. That sounds good."

Yusuf took apart the PASIV and left enough sedative for the subject to remain asleep as they made their escape. He left first, and the others all split up. Ariadne kept her hand tight around her cell phone as she left for her current hotel room. She couldn't wait for Arthur's call.

The End


End file.
